Generally, an inductor is a passive electrical component that can store energy in a magnetic field created by an electric current passing through it. An inductor may be constructed as a coil of conductive material wrapped around a core of dielectric or magnetic material. One parameter of an inductor that may be measured is the inductor's ability to store magnetic energy, also known as the inductor's inductance. Another parameter that may be measured is the inductor's Quality (Q) factor. The Q factor of an inductor is a measure of the inductor's efficiency and may be calculated as the ratio of the inductor's inductive reactance to the inductor's resistance at a given frequency.
Inductors may be utilized in a wide variety of applications. For example, inductors may be manufactured and used in mobile devices to receive and filter incoming signals which may then be passed on for further processing. However, because mobile devices may be used in different locations, and these different locations may have different parameters (e.g., frequency bands) used to communicate, the inductors are generally designed for use in a particular geographic region.
Corresponding numerals and symbols in the different figures generally refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated. The figures are drawn to clearly illustrate the relevant aspects of the embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale.